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Do you wish to use the Kali Linux operating system alongside Windows 11? In that case, this article teaches how to install Kali Linux on Windows 11.
Step 1: Enable Windows Subsystems for Linux
Before you are able to use Kali Linux on your Windows 11 PC, you need to enable Windows Subsystems for Linux.
There are numerous ways to do that. However, in this guide, we will be revealing how to do it via Control Panel.
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- Click the Search icon on your Windows 11 taskbar and type “Control panel” in the search field. Then, click the Control Panel app from the search result.
- When Control Panel opens, confirm that View by is set to Category. If not, click the drop-down and select Category.
- After doing that, select Programs from the category.
- Under Programs and Features, click Turn Windows features on or off.
- By doing that, the Windows Features window will open. Hence, on the window, check the Windows Subsystem for Linux box, then click the OK button.
- Consequently, Windows 11 will start searching for the necessary files to enable the feature.
- After that, you will be prompted to reboot your PC to effect the changes. Therefore, click the Restart now button.
Step 2: Download and Install the Kali Linux App
When you are done enabling Windows Subsystem for Linux, follow the steps below to download and install the Kali Linux app on Windows 11.
- Click the Search icon on the Windows 11 taskbar. Then, type “Microsoft store” on the search field.
- From the search result, click the Microsoft Store app.
- When the Microsoft Store opens, type “Kali Linux” on the search bar. Then, from the search result, click the Kali Linux App.
- Once the application’s page opens, click the Install button to download the application.
- When the app finally downloads, it will automatically install on your Windows 11 computer. So, click the Open button to launch the application.
- Once you open the Kali Linux app, it initiates the installation of Kali Linux on your Windows 11 PC.
I posted details of how I fixed these two errors in this article’s topic on the Itechguides Community Forum. If you received these error messages, get the fixes by clicking this link – steps to fix errors 0x80370102 and 0x800701bc.
- During the installation, you will be prompted to enter a username. So, in front of Enter new UNIX username, enter a username.
By the way, use lowercase while inputting a username. For example, according to the screenshot below, I used oluwaseun as the username.
After that, press Enter on your keyboard.
- After that, you will be prompted to input a password. After inputting a password, press Enter on your keyboard.
- After inputting the password and pressing Enter, you will once again be prompted to retype the password. When you are done retyping the password, press Enter.
- There you have it! You have successfully installed Kali Linux on your Windows 11 PC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can download and install the Kali Linux application on your Windows 10 computer via the Microsoft Store. However, before you do that, you must first enable Windows Subsystem for Linux.
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Sure. As with Kali Linux, Ubuntu is available on Windows 11 as an application via the Microsoft Store.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsYes, they do. Hackers mostly use Kali Linux due to the fact that it has security analysis, penetration testing, and security auditing.
In fact, Kali Linux consists of over 600 tools for information security.
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Yes, Kali Linux is free to install. Moreover, if you want to install this Linux distribution on Windows 11, it is also for download on the Windows Microsoft Store.
Mati Aharoni is the founder and main developer of Kali Linux.
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Conclusion
Installing Kali Linux on your Windows 11 PC might seem difficult and complicated. However, with this guide, you have nothing to worry about.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Hence, if you follow the steps closely in the guide, you should be able to download and install Kali Linux on your PC easily. Basically, this guide covered how to enable Windows Subsystems for Linux before downloading Kali Linux.
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Also, we learned how to download and install the Kali Linux application from the Windows 11 Microsoft Store.
I hope you found this guide helpful. If you found it helpful, click on “Yes” beside the “Was this page helpful” question below.
You may also express your thoughts and opinions by using the “Leave a Comment” form at the bottom of this page.
Finally, visit our Windows 11 How-To page for more Windows 11 guides and fixes.
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